


To: AB Wilson, Sam, With Regards

by the0dyssey



Series: These Ties That Bind (and Other Collected Works) [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Air Force, Basic Training, Epistolary, F/M, Gen, Letters, M/M, Miscommunication, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Sam Wilson is a Gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:27:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29600337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the0dyssey/pseuds/the0dyssey
Summary: In the weeks following their high school graduation, Steve, Bucky, Nat, Clint, Tony, and Sam are all going in very different directions. Perhaps the farthest of all is Sam, who is nearly two-thousand miles away from home at basic training for the U.S. Air Force. He soon realizes that he's taken the ability to effectively communicate to Texas with him, and there's only so much he can write in a letter home to try to remedy this Shakespearean level miscommunication between his best friends.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: These Ties That Bind (and Other Collected Works) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171223
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	To: AB Wilson, Sam, With Regards

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo!  
> Here's the first short sequel piece in the TTTB series. If you haven't read These Ties That Bind yet, please do! These additional works will make a lot more sense with that backstory.
> 
> This takes place in the summer after their senior year, which is a little over a year later from the ending of TTTB. These additional works probably won't be in chronological order, but I'll always provide context, so hopefully it won't be too jarring.
> 
> And a big thank you to my phenomenal beta reader, scifiromance.  
> More in the end notes!

To say that Sam was tuckered out would be an understatement. Three weeks into basic training for the United States Air Force was really taking it out of him, but every morning after finishing his training with the rest of his flight, he sat on the edge of his precisely made bed with satisfaction.

There was a bit of down time each day just after his group returned from breakfast, and everyday Sam sat in wait for two things — a shower and his mail. His assigned wingman, a lean and pale kid named Riley always got the first shower.

His stern commanding officer started down the aisle of the barracks, handing out bundles of letters to each of Sam’s fellow recruits before finally stopping at the edge of his bunk.

Sam stood and regarded his superior with respect.

“You’ve got yourself a lot of mail today Airman Wilson.” She said, holding out a thick bundle of envelopes.

“Thank you Captain Rambeau.”

“Also a note. You have an appointment for 12:00 hours. Take Underdahl with you. Go there instead of afternoon PT.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

Sam was conflicted about missing his work out, but more concerned about the appointment that had both him and Riley missing it. It wasn’t often that trainees were pulled aside. He pushed his worry aside and turned to opening his mail.

_To: AB Wilson Sam_

_326 TRS / FLT 127_

_Lackland AFB, TX 78236_

_From: Steve Rogers_

_20282 Jackman Avenue_

_North Albany, NY 12084_

_Sam —_

_How’s basic going? I know I asked that in my first letter, but since you’re a few weeks in already, I figure maybe your answer has changed._

_Nothing has really changed here in the last three weeks, except Clint’s moved out with Barney to D.C. Apparently Barney is renting an on-campus apartment at Gallaudet with some of his friends, and he’s letting Clint couch surf until the start of the school year when he has to move into his dorm. I understand why some schools make it so first year students have to live in the dorms, but I think if you have family or something close by you should be able to live with them instead. Oh well. Once he’s settled in there, he’ll probably send a letter so don’t be weirded out if you get something post marked from D.C. Tony is still gone on his international sabbatical (what kind of 18 year old takes a sabbatical???) But he should be back sometime next week._

_I know it's still July, but I’m nervous to go to school next month. I feel like time is flying, and I’m worried about going so far away. I don’t want to regret my decision, but Savannah has a great art program, that it’ll most likely make up for the humidity of the south._ _I’m nervous about leaving Bucky._ _I’m worried about doing the whole long distance thing with Bucky. I know you and Maria broke up amicably when she went away for school last year, but I’m not sure what’s going to happen between us. Not to get all mushy, but I really love him and I don’t know what I’m going to do without him being next door all the time. Please send advice. You’ve been my wingman since day one. Ha! Now you’re literally training to be a real wingman._

_Gosh man, it’s only been three weeks but I miss you like crazy. I’m counting down the days until your graduation — you better believe we’re all driving down for it._

_Take care of yourself,_

_Steve._

Sam flipped through his stack of mail and sure enough, there was a letter from Clint with a barely-legible D.C. area address.

_To: AB Wilson Sam_

_326 TRS / FLT 127_

_Lackland AFB, TX 78236_

_From: Clint Barton_

_142 Scotton Drive_

_Apt. 2C_

_NE Washington D.C. 20002_

_Hey Sam,_

_I’m sure Steve probably told you in his letter, but I moved to D.C. with Barney before school starts. It’s kinda cramped because there’s five guys sharing two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. I’ve staked out the couch since there’s not a fifth bed, but it’s only for four more weeks, and I’m already having a better time here than I would be at home, no offense to my parents or Steve._

_Don’t worry, I’m not going to any parties yet or anything._

_Only one of the guys that’s living here full time is hearing, so it’s funny when everyone’s taking hearing breaks and he just talks and talks until he realizes no one is really listening to his words. He signs though, because he’s going to be an interpreter, so it’s not like we’re being totally rude. We’re just giving him more practice._

_Nat’s kinda mad at me because I left NY way before school started, but she’s not home half the time anyway, between finishing up her last season at the studio and packing up all her stuff for her move to Manhattan. I hate to sound selfish, but it’s not all about her and the New York Ballet._

_Now that I wrote that I kinda feel like a dick._

_Don’t tell her I said any of this._

_I want to invite her down here for a weekend and see if I can swing a few nights at a hotel for us because there wouldn’t be any room for her in this apartment. I miss her a lot but I don’t know how to tell her because it seems like every time we talk we argue._

_Adulting sucks._

_— Clint_

Sam chuckled. Clint’s letters always tended to be a bit off the wall, and they make him homesick all the same.

_To: AB Wilson Sam_

_326 TRS / FLT 127_

_Lackland AFB, TX 78236_

_From: Bucky Barnes_

_20280 Jackman Avenue_

_North Albany, NY 12084_

_Dear Sam,_

_I hope basic training is going good for you. I tried going on a run the other day with Steve, and never again. Never again. I almost lost my breakfast, and the dinner from the night before. I don’t know how you guys do it. Boot camp would totally kick my ass, so kudos to you._

_Speaking of Steve, he’s been acting kind of weird lately. I’m scared he’s going to break up with me. Every time we’re hanging out, he just seems like he’s somewhere else. I almost wish that he’d just do it already, if he’s going to. Every time I ask him what’s wrong, he says nothing and I know he’s lying._

_Nat’s about ready to pull her hair out between dance and Clint, and Yelena’s been having a stressful few weeks with some studio stuff and dance tryouts at high school. She wants to try out for the school team, but Nat doesn’t think that’s a good idea and they’ve been going at it for days. Yelena’s been coming across the hall and using my bathroom because she and Nat can’t even be in the same room as each other. It’s ridiculous. Girls are scary. Phil and I have resorted to staying quiet and not getting involved._

_On another note, I finally finished that book you recommended. I’d heard of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy before, but it was nothing like I thought it was going to be. I’ve been frequenting the library a lot more lately and I’ve picked up a few new books. If they’re any good, I’ll let you know._

_I found out housing info for school next month. I got put in a quad, which isn’t horrible for a first year. We even have our own bathroom. Three of us are pre-law students and the other one is an engineering student of some sort. I can’t remember what kind of the top of my head. I’m not going to get to meet them until move in though because one of the guys is from California, one’s on an extended vacation with his family in Maine I think, and the other one hasn’t answered his email yet._

_I’ll keep this short and end here. Hang in there, you’re almost half way through._

_Best,_

_Bucky_

The last letter that wasn’t from family was from Nat.

_To: AB Wilson Sam_

_326 TRS / FLT 127_

_Lackland AFB, TX 78236_

_From: N. Romanoff_

_20280 Jackman Avenue_

_North Albany, NY 12084_

_Sam,_

_I miss our collective brain cell._

He chuckled. “Why do I get the feeling that the singular brain cell is no longer shared, and that I am the sole owner of it?” He said under his breath.

_Clint wanted to move to D.C. early, which is fine. He’s more than free to do whatever he wants to do, I’m not the boss of him. Was I hoping we would have more time together before I moved to the city? Yes. But I guess these are the cards that were dealt._

_I’m honestly so tired though. Yel and I have been at it for weeks and I don’t even know what about any more. Steve and Bucky are being weird, Clint and I aren’t getting anywhere as far as communications go, and Maria’s been radio silent since she moved to Virginia. I’m hoping I’ll make more friends in the company, but I don’t want to leave things like this. At least Tony’s still on his trip so he can’t stir the pot even more. As much as I love him, I don’t think he’d be able to help much now._

_I’m sorry to bog down your mail with depressing stuff. Tell your friend Riley that I say hi. I’ll write to you soon._

_Natasha_

Sam sighed and rubbed at his temples after setting her letter on top of the others.

“Shower’s open if you want it,” Riley said, drying behind his ear with a towel. “You okay man?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Headache? You need a Tylenol or somethin’? I’ll walk to the infirmary with you if you need.” He asked, letting his southern drawl fall out.

“Nah man I’m good. My headache lives back in New York in the form of five dorks. This is some Comedy of Errors type miscommunication going on, except it ain’t funny.” Sam gave Riley a once over, noting his track pants and wicking shirt. “We need to be in trousers this afternoon.”

“Really? I thought we had PT with Phillips after lunch?”

“Rambeau said we have an appointment at noon. I’m not sure what it’s about though.” He folded up his letters and placed them on the top shelf of his locker before bending down to grab his standard issue toiletries and towel.

“I wonder if it’s about that rumor that’s been flying around base,” Riley said quietly.

Sam turned back to him, “You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

“You know, the Falcon Op with incoming PJ’s.”

Sam laughed lightheartedly as he made his way towards the bathroom. “Yeah right. Like they’ve made wing suits for medics. Keep dreaming Florida Boy.”

**Author's Note:**

> A quick side note, yes that is the same Riley referenced in CA:TWS. There's not a lot of info available for him, so I took some creative liberty in his background. (Underdahl is the last name of the actor who was photographed for the movie.) We'll see more of him later :)
> 
> This felt a bit more personal to write because my best friend just graduated from basic training herself, and I'm so proud of her. I've modeled a lot of the character letters off of things I've written to her about (i.e. Clint's "Adulting sucks" and the group consensus of "I miss you.") 
> 
> The third part of this series will pick up a few weeks after this one, and certain issues will be addressed, so don't fret.  
> I hope you're having a good day, and thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you feel so inclined :)


End file.
